Comparison

Gateway Process vs Don't Fret!

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Gateway Process

Explore a declassified U.S. Army intelligence assessment on consciousness alteration techniques. This app breaks down the 29-page document into 13 files across 5 stages, offering guided learning and a built-in binaural beat generator for brainwave synchronization.

Highlights
  • Declassified U.S. Army intelligence assessment
  • 13 files across 5 progressive stages
  • Clear, structured sections: explanations, instructions, field notes
  • Progress tracking and sequential stage unlocking
  • Built-in binaural beat generator
  • 8 target brainwave states
  • Privacy-focused: no accounts, tracking, or network requests
Features
Read full description

The Gateway Process is a 1983 U.S. Army intelligence assessment of the Monroe Institute's techniques for altering consciousness — originally classified, now fully declassified by the CIA. This app turns that 29-page document into something you can actually read, understand, and follow. 13 files. 5 stages. One guided path from "what is this?" to advanced practice. THE DOCUMENT In 1983, U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Wayne McDonnell was asked to evaluate a program called the Gateway Experience — a set of audio techniques designed to synchronize the brain's hemispheres, induce deep relaxation, and ultimately move consciousness beyond the physical body. His assessment, filed under CIA-RDP96-00788R001700210016-5, draws on neuroscience, quantum physics, and holographic universe theory to explain why and how the techniques work. It was declassified in 2003. THE APP Gateway breaks the document into 13 tappable files organized across five progressive stages — Understand, Learn the Method, Grasp the Theory, Practice, and Operate. Each file presents the original content in clear, structured sections: prose explanations, numbered step-by-step instructions, and highlighted field notes from the original text. The Progress tab tracks what you've read and unlocks stages sequentially — because every concept in the Gateway Process builds on the one before it. BUILT-IN BINAURAL BEAT GENERATOR The document's core mechanism is Hemi-Sync: two slightly different audio frequencies, one in each ear, that cause the brain to generate a third frequency internally. This app includes a real binaural beat synthesizer — not recordings, but live audio generated on your device using AVAudioEngine. Choose from 8 target states (Delta through Focus 21) and listen through headphones. Stereo separation is required for the effect to work. PRIVACY No accounts. No tracking. No network requests. Your reading progress and bookmarks are stored on your device and never leave it.

About

Don't Fret!

This app helps guitarists of all levels master the fretboard by drilling note recognition. It offers customizable sessions with instant feedback and progress tracking to build fluency without looking down.

Highlights
  • Interactive guitar neck diagram
  • Customizable session parameters
  • Instant feedback on answers
  • Accuracy and progress statistics
  • Optimized for iPhone and iPad
Features
Read full description

Don't Fret! trains your brain to know every note on the guitar neck — without looking down. Whether you're a beginner learning the basics or an intermediate player trying to stop guessing, Don't Fret! gives you fast, focused drilling sessions that build real fretboard fluency. HOW IT WORKS Pick your strings, fret range, and session length. The app shows you a highlighted fret on a guitar neck diagram — you name the note. Simple. Effective. Addictive. After each session, see your accuracy, your weak spots, and your progress over time. FEATURES • Interactive guitar neck diagram — clean, accurate, easy to read • Customize sessions by string, fret range, and duration • Instant feedback on every answer • Session results with accuracy stats • Optimized for both iPhone and iPad PERFECT FOR • Guitar students building music theory foundations • Players preparing for lessons or auditions • Anyone who's tired of thinking before playing Stop guessing. Start knowing.

Screenshots

Gateway Process3 screens
Don't Fret!4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Don't Fret! at Free against Gateway Process's $0.99. Gateway Process's advantage is ratings volume (11 vs 1). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Don't Fret! is free to download; Gateway Process costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Gateway Process against 5.0 for Don't Fret!. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Gateway Process has 11 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Gateway Process versus Don't Fret!: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGateway ProcessDon't Fret!
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (11 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings11 — better1
Update frequency—Fortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS17.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB32 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPaul MartinezTimothy Baker

Customer experience

Gateway Process

All ratings11 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Don't Fret!

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Gateway Process

No in-app purchases

None

Don't Fret!

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Gateway Process free?
Gateway Process costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Don't Fret! free?
Don't Fret! is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Gateway Process or Don't Fret!?
Gateway Process and Don't Fret! are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 11 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Gateway Process or Don't Fret! have ads?
Neither Gateway Process nor Don't Fret! shows ads.

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